HERO: TIME

Photo Credit: David J. Hawkins

This is the final production photograph of the Time concept using Lego pieces constructed by each section of bricks from a pile that was found in the center of the image. Starting with the top left hand corner the eye naturally flows around in series from 1 through 10 leading up to the large final image with the fully constructed Fighter Jet.

The secondary hero photograph shows the final Jet Fighter assembly pictured alone with all the pieces intact however proved to be a little too static thus using the larger photo with the speed brakes located on the top part of the wings in the up right position deployed showing more action of the flight controls of the aircraft. 

I used one light with two pocket wizards, two white boards situated like a V-flat and a red table top to position the Lego pieces on the surface.

HERO: Direction

I chose this image as my hero shot because of the direction of travel and the inversion of two of the Blue Angeles FA-18 Hornets. Every year the flight demo team prepare a variety of tricks and a different series of aerobatic maneuvers that continually impress the crowds. 

This is the other Image I found fascinating with an approach that started off as a tight cluster that broke off into several different directions while rolling creating a likeness of a flower blooming. 

These are the shots leading up to the hero shot for the direction assignment. No artificial light sources were used. I narrowed down a selection of 400 images to the top 4 images that best related to the direction assignment using only sunlight. 

HERO: MUSIC

Here is the final Shot for the Music Production post taken moments after the sunset over the horizon producing a beautiful blue hue in the sky.

I had a love-hate relationship between these two images being my first and second favorite images due to the locations and how the reflections were shown in the images. 

These are the alternative selections of the shoot session. I used 3 speedlites with one blue, orange, and grey gels that produced the desired look. The orange gel provided warmer tones on the body filling in the shadows across the back side of the face while the blue gel was positioned on the opposite side cooling the scene to blend in with the background. The grey gel was positioned near the center in the back to provide a gentle fill flash. 

Pre-Production: "Time"

For this assignment creating concepts and design ideas for the "Time" production theme I decided to incorporate a series of images in one frame similar to a diptych or grid showing the progress of creating a lego airplane with a time lapse of a clock in the back ground and the time of day outside the window using mixed Lighting.

This will complete section E also known as "Build it/ Make it" method taking a photo of something that I constructed. This will have a similar set up to this guy constructing the airplane but without the face or body just hands constructing piece by piece.

The final image would be a collection of smaller images building up to the final larger image in the lower Right hand corner with the completed aircraft. 

Pre-Production: "Direction"

This project is focused on the emphasis of Direction which I had thought of using just daylight exposures of an airplane or two traveling in the same direction. There were a few airplanes flying in formation from Van Nuys Airport that fly in one direction forming an arrow or shape. LAX offers several great opportunities of airplanes landing giving a unique perspective of airplanes traveling in the distance with the post creating a sensation the plane in a direction of travel.

Fox Field in Lancaster, California also offers flight demonstrations that will provide powerful images of planes in motion with the direction. I plan to capture planes moving in a direction showing an arrow formation or spire pointing to one direction with the sun to the back of the camera with saturated blue skies with smoke trails behind them.

Pre-Production: "Music"

While brainstorming for this first production assignment with the theme using "Music," that will have to incorporate two things in the process. One is the musical element in the design and secondly apply one of the five shooting methods (Sun in/Daylight/Mixed sources, Overpowering Daylight, Dusk/Dark inside view, Analog/Silver Film, and Make-it/Construct) as mentioned in class.

Alex Aguilar playing with the guitar. (Photo Credit: David J. Hawkins © 2015)

The idea of the shoot will be done on location using this concept of using instruments creating sound that is identified in color as the viewer would perceive sound interpreted in color patterns or shapes. As one who is deaf is unable to hear sounds thus creating a visual element of making sound visible as color through black and white images.

The set location would either be in a band garage, stage, bedroom, or a music appropriate environment that would represent a visually interesting background.

The model would be the same person as the previous session using the same vibrant guitar and will have him be more animated as he was playing in a Rock and Roll band or in a concert.

Window lighting showing the sun setting or evening sky lighting the interior with Speedlites. 

I will be using a Nikon D700 with a 35mm 1.2 lens with 3-4 Speedlites lighting up the subject and the background highlighting elements that are music related. One or two modifiers will be used such as a Octabank or Brollyboxes depending on the amount of light needed on the subject. Post production will desaturate the fore image and the base image will contain color for the visual image phasing process.

Producing the Hero Shot

After shooting a series of self portraits using a tripod and timer I was forced to narrow down the selection to one Hero photograph. Below is the collection of photographs leading to the final "Hero" selection shot.

 I used a tripod to mount the camera with a timer that was triggered when pressing the shutter release button on the camera. The arrangement of boxes and cylinders provided different levels for the camera items to be displayed as rolls of developed film provided a unique feel. Modifiers ranging from Soft Boxes with Grids to Beauty Dishes were used in different moments adjusting the amount of light on the cameras and my self in the photographs. I used both the painted and black seamless for my photo session to provide more dramatic feelings or more of a photo studio feel. 

The set up in the studio using 3-5 lights, modifiers on each lights, and 2 flags illuminating the photography items.

Originally I wanted to pose for the camera looking directly at the camera hiding partially behind the coffee mug designed like the actual Canon lens. However after reviewing the images I had felt like they were not as strong as I had envisioned so decided to experiment with using film cameras, film, stainless steel kettles, and layout arrangements of the items to create a feel of a photography studio. Adding and subtracting objects was the most difficult part of the whole shoot knowing the concept of "less is better" while having too much can be distracting but at the same time an actual studio has a variety of items that create the overall studio look or feel. 

Collection of self-portraits by David J. Hawkins/2016

After a long tedious process of elimination has provided the top 5 favorites making the selection of the "Hero" shot more practical. Arranging the studio set up with several photographers tools, equipments, and cameras allowed me to effectively create an avatar that shows my love and passion for photography. Also including a funny notion that I do enjoy a hot cup of tea during my day.

As you can see in the two photographs pictured above the changes made between the original and the post production image using adjustments in Camera Raw. 

HawkinStudios avatar photograph "HERO" by David J. Hawkins / 2016

After completing this assignment I was able to review the images and think on other applications of which I can apply the other images to such as profile images for my portfolio or other blog entries of my self discussing my passion for photography.